Apparatus for forming and shapi ng



w (No Model.)

J. A. HOUSE.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND SHAPING GORSETS. No. 265.968.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1882.

N. PETERS. Phonolithagrapher. Washingien, 04 C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HOUSE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND SHAPING .CORSETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,963, dated October 17, 1882.

Application filed May 25, 1882. (No model.)

To-ctll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HOUSE, of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Forming and Shaping Corsets, of which the following description, iii-connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention is an improvement on United States Patent granted to me, dated January 3, 1882, No. 251,884, reissued August 1,1882, as No. 10,173, to which reference may be had, and has for its object to simplify the construction of the mechanism shown therein.

In my present invention one-half of a corset, having at one .edge the usual row of eyelets and small parallel strips of steel and at its other edge a corset husk or steel having the usual studs or eye-pieces,is caught by curved holders connected at each end by yielding or spring links with a treadle or lever by which to draw upon the said links and move the holders to draw, stretch, and fit the corset-half to the heated form, thus doingaway with several of. the parts shown in my said patent. The holder for one edge of the corset has forks to embrace the studs of the husk or steel, and the holder shown for the other edge of the corset has a double wall, between which is made a groor e of such shape as to receive in its end'the eyeleted edge of the corset and prevent its escape from said groove laterally.

Figure 1 represents in side elevation a corset-shaping apparatus embodying my invention; Fig.2,aleft-handend view ofFig.1; Fig.3, an enlarged detail of the holder to engage the studs of the usual corset-steel; Fig. 4, a top view of the said holder; Fig. 5, an enlarged cross-section of the grooved holder to receive the eyeleted edge of the corset; Fig. 6, a top view of it; Figs. 7 and 8, details showing the holder adapted to engage that steel of the corset which has secured to it the usual eye-piece 5 and Fig. '9 is a sectional detail of the eyeleted edge of a corset to show the small steel at its extreme edge.

The form a, supposed to be in shape to resemble one-halfof the bust, waist, and hip of a well-developed human bod y,is heated by steam or otherwise, introduced therein by means of suitable pipes, 1), arranged to permit of a circulation of the heating medium through the form.

The holder 0 (shown in Fig. 1 at the left of Fig. 2 and in Figs. 3 and 4 curved in the direction of its length to properly conform to the shape of the form along its side) is provided with the adjustable forks cl, slotted at c to embrace or book over the heated studs f, extending from the usual corset steel or husk, g, sewed into one edge of the corset h, the half of the said corset which is herein shown as being stretched and finished on the form containing the stud-steel. These forks are held upon the main bar of the holder 0 by means of adjustin g-screws 2, extended through slots in the said bar, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and by adjusting the forks they may be made to correctly engage the studs fot the particular studs used I in the corsets being stretched.

The holder 0 to hold the eyeleted edge of the corset, which edge has a narrow steel or stiffening, (see Fig. 9,) all as usual, is composed of two bars curved in the direction of their length, (see Fig. 6,) to conform in shape to the outline of the form a near or next which they work. These bars, suitably connected by screws 3, are each grooved (see Fig. 5) to form a space, 4, contracted by narrow lips or flanges 5. The edge of the corset containing,

this narrow steel 9 stitched between the two plies of the corset outside the usual eyelets g is introduced into the space 4 from one end. As the steel 9 is introduced into the end of the said space the thinner part of the two plies of the corset between the said steel and eyelets passes into the narrow space between the edge of the flanges, and the corset-edge having the narrow steel when once introduced into the said space 4, cannot escape therefrom laterally, and consequently the grooved or rabheted holder holds the eyeleted edge of the corset firmly without marring or straining it.

The holders 0 0 have attached to them the upper ends of the yielding links I, all alike, so I need describe but one of them. These links are each composed, as herein shown, of rods m m, having collars n n attached to them, a spiral or other suitable spring, 0?, being shown as placed about the said rods between the said collars. The upper ends of rods m are pivoted to theholders near their ends, as at 6,

while the lower ends-of rods m are connected I form a and holders 0 0 to engage the opposite loosely by nut m with ears of a block, 9, connected at p with the treadle; or it may be a suitable lever or depressing device by which to pull down on the said rods. The upper ends of the rods m are guided in guides 0 to prevent longitudinal movement of the holders.

The lever or depressing device 19 pivoted at p, is shown as provided with a counterbalance, )5, heavy enough to keep the holders up, preferably a little above the lower edges of the form when thelever is released from the holding-notches r. Asthe links are acted upon to draw the holders down and strain and fit the corset to the form, the spring between the collars n n, secured to the rods m m, yield independently and permit the ends of the holders to descend unequal distances, if necessary, as it usually is, to thus stretch all parts of the corset uniformly to the form of irregular contour.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a holder, 0 having an upwardly-curved pin, 8, to enter the usual eye-piece formed upon that half of the usual steel or busk which engages the headed stud of the steel in the half of the corset shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

, There are many different equivalent forms of yielding links to directly connect the holders and their depressing device, and the use of equivalent links would therefore he within the scope of my invention.

The spring p assists in lifting the depressing device and its attached parts.

edges of the corset, combined with the rods m m and springs n composing yielding links I, and mechanism to operate said links and hold ers to stretch the corset snugly about the form, substantially as described.

2. The holder 0, composed of the bar having the attached forks to hook over the studsfot' the corset steel or busk, substantially as described.

3. The holder 0 composedof the grooved or flanged bars having between them a space, 4, to receive the eyeleted edge of the corset thickened at its edge by a steel or piece, g, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, substantially as shown and described, ofthe form a, holders 0 c on opposite sides thereofto engage opposite edges of the corset to be operated upon, rods m m, and springs n constituting yielding links I, depressing mechanism for said holders and links, and the guides 0 for the said links, arranged to operate as set forth. a

5. In an apparatus for stretching corsets, the holder 0 and the series of stud-engaging forks made adjustable thereon, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ALFORD HOUSE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. DIMOND, HENRY F. GooDWIN. 

